Blazing new trails and wabbit hunting

Each morning on the weekend the goal is to do enough stuff with AJ that he wears out and takes a nap.  I try to get him outside as much as possible.  He wasn’t really fond of snow at first, but now he is starting to like it.  Mainly because we discovered rabbit trails.  I rabbit trail will be followed for an hour in the hopes of actually seeing a rabbit.  I just walk behind and let him follow the path through fields and yards of friendly neighbors.  The excitement of a rabbit trail crossing a kitty cat trail leads to wonderous imagined conversations between the cat and the rabbit.  Did they discuss the weather, what was there thoughts on the current state of cookie to chocolate chips?  Did they make dinner plans.  Was the rabbit the kitties dinner plan?  And off we go until we find a deer path or a squirl trail.  We did find the rabbit hole.  But they were sleeping so I was told we had to be very very quiet.  

Today we ran out of rabbit paths to follow.  So I told AJ we would take Bradley on a great adventure in all new snow.  Blazing new paths is harder.  Sometimes the snow gets to deep and I have to carry him.  But he is just as excited to find an abandoned plow in a field or a snow mobile highway.  Of course it is just as nice to come home and ride on the swings and slide down the snow covered slide until Mommy yells out the window…THREE MINUTES!!!!   Off he runs, adventures forgotten in anticipation of hot cocoa.

Walt Disney Marathon 2010

‘It’s a little cold here today, but it is going to warm up by Saturday…’  Those were the words of the Disney Magical Express driver on the way to the park.  In reality, it was the ‘longest cold snap in Floridian recorded history’ as quoted by the weather channel at 3 am Sunday morning.  Wind chill temperature of 17 degrees.  High was predicted to be 30 degrees.  I knew then that plan A of a 5:45 to 6 hour marathon was gone.  I also knew that there was no way Stacey would finish if I didn’t run with her.  So the 8 minute run 2 minute walk plan that I have had such great success was also going to be replaced with her plan of 6 minutes walking and one minute rest.  It doesn’t sound like much but for me that is a big change.  But who cares, just finish was the point of this race anyway.  

The 2010 Walt Disney Marathon was a pipe dream in June.  I was trying to finish my degree, we had no DVC points for a room, we had no money for tickets, it just wasn’t going to happen.  Then I got a job at Life Technologies.  We could afford to go.  I was going to graduate by August 31^st, we would have time to train.  Suddenly, we were signed up, and ready to train.  Except, I am working two jobs and Stacey is on her own with AJ.  Except, I didn’t graduate until December 7^th.  Except, we had a fire in the house and the money was gone.  But we were still signed up, tickets were purchased and we were going.  So what if we take a long time, it will be sunny, warm and exciting.

As I pulled on the thin running pants I purchased 15 hours ago I realized that I would be stepping on the back edge with each step.  They were just a few centimeters to long.  Would this really be a problem?  Stacey looks like she wants to go back to bed rather than run, but we are pulling on our shoes and bib numbers.  Man it is really cold out.  Stacey has long since decided not to wear our team in training shirt Marci sent us because a tank top was just not going to cut it at 17 degrees.  Wait, make that 22 now.  Huh. Getting warmer.

In August we began raising money for Fred’s team.  We were planning on running in honor of Liam Witt.  That is the amazing thing about the internet.  I met this wonderful family with this amazing little boy and this incredible runner who runs for Fred’s team, yet I have never actually met them.  But we worked together and now we were raising money for pediatric cancer research.  Sure we only raised $520.00 but hey, that is a lot considering Fred’s team is not associated with the WDW marathon.  Every bit helps in the fight against cancer.  All we have to do is just finish.

A stiff wind met us as we got off the bus and made our way to the staging area.  Stacey is not looking forward to taking off her winter coat.  I have on my Life Tech coat and don’t really care to shed it either.  Plus each step pulls my pants down.  Guess they will have to go in my storage bag with my coat.  To bad they were doing a good job.  We made our way through the baggage storage area.  No one is talking, it’s so quiet.  Stacey and I huddle together to stay warm behind a tent.  It is way to cold to be out like this.  It is announced that we need to make our way to the starting line.  There is very little talking, none of the excited jabbering I am use to before a race.

January 6^th, My bag is 51 lbs and it has to be 50.  I am holding my underarmor pants and my swim trunks.  I chuck the pants and pack the trunks because I am going to Florida.  I am holding a technical t-shirt and my underarmor cold weather shirt, I keep the T-shirt.  50 lbs, Sunshine here I come.  Woo Hoo.  Don’t forget the sunscreen.

As I walked past a garbage can I realize there are unused clean bags hanging.  I grab two and fashion some neck holes.  It takes a minute but we start to warm up in the garbage bags.  After a last minute bathroom stop we fumble our way to Corral G.  Trying to stretch in the bag is nearly useless.  Plus I am so tight from the cold I am afraid of hurting myself.  We are trying to get excited but really feel miserable.  I notice that is the case with most of the people around me.  The anthem plays, it was really good.  And we cheered the wheel chair racers as they leave.  Then the first wave takes off, ten more minutes.  We all begin the push to the start, and with a loud burst of fireworks we are off.  We quickly chuck our bags as we draw near to the starting line.  And now the process of 6 minutes and 1 minutes starts.

Stacey was having a really hard time starting out.  Despite running 6 and walking 1 we were only averaging a 14 minute mile.  Put in a much needed second bathroom break and that put us at 4 miles for the first hour.  Not good.  However, after mile five the sun came up and we were ok.  I started lying to Stacey about how long we had to go and did some longer stretches of running to make up time but still kept the pace slow.  I could already feel some tightness in my quads but it was manageable in I felt that if I stretched at the next bathroom break that Stacey needed we would be ok.  That break came in the Magic Kingdom in Tomorrow Land.  I quickly changed socks (an idea from the last marathon) and stretched and pulled out the peanuts.  By the way, I purchased this lousy arm band to hold my foods, it really sucked so it got pitched in Animal Kingdom.  I hope whoever has it now enjoys its futile uselessness. 

Stacey and I ran hand in hand through the castle for our picture.  We then headed out of Frontier Land and off to Animal Kingdom.  This is when my legs went from tight and uncomfortable to down right cramped and intense pain.  I was mad, here Stacey had finally started to feel good and confident, and now I am unable to run more then 100 feet without stopping.  By mile 14 I knew running was done.  Stacey wouldn’t leave even though she felt good which was driving me crazy.  I didn’t want her to miss out on finishing when I knew that finishing wasn’t really a guaranteed thing for me.  I was also angry because yet again I am at mile 14 unable to run yet full of energy and ready to go.  My body wouldn’t let me.  Again, I did all the things that worked in the second marathon that had no cramps but debilitating blisters.  Still, the cramps were back.  Stacey is a faster runner than she use to be, so I do not believe it was from a slower pace.  I believe it was from the cold.  Perhaps if I had done the 8 and 2 that may have helped.  6 and 1 did not give me enough time to truly warm up.  Still if the temp had been say 35 at the start instead of what we found out was 26, then perhaps 6 and 1 would have been ok.  Either way, I was walking.

I kept going because Stacey was there, and I didn’t want her to miss out.  I knew if I could keep a 15 minute mile pace we would just make it.  Slowly the miles ticked down.  we made it through to 20 by 5 hour 4 minutes and 18 seconds.  I knew then that we would finish.  I prayed that I could run some more but it wasn’t going to happen.  Stacey was so good.  She had to stop for bathroom breaks three more times.  I would walk ahead and she would catch up with me.  I couldn’t talk but I just focused on getting to each mile in under 15 minutes.  Some I made, some I didn’t.  I even ran down a few hills because it hurt less, but paid for it with cramps at the bottom.  I did manage to some in Hollywood Studios.  But mainly I kept thinking I needed to do this so Stacey could finish after struggling so much in the first half.  I needed to do this because despite the pain I felt at the moment.  It was nothing compared to the pain that Liam’s parents feel everyday as they face cancer.  It was noting compared to the pain of chemo and antibody treatments, surgeries and more.  It was nothing.

Still, I felt miserable at mile 24.  I know 6:30:00 (my first marathon time) was gone for good.  I was barely going to finish.  I hurt, I was tired and then the phone rang.  It was Dan and Barb Richbart and they were at mile 25.  We did mile 24 in 11 minutes.  I was so excited and full of energy and still unable to run.  We hugged and yelled and thanked them so much.  It was like getting a full tank of gas for free.  We continued around EPCOT and saw Dan again, more hugs more screaming.  We then continued to the finish.  I had gotten Stacey through the first half and she got me through the last, we crossed the finish line hand in hand.

Not quite finished but very very close

It has been over two months since my last post.  I haven’t given up on my blog.  I just needed to put it down for a moment.  You see, I have been writing my thesis.  After hours and hours of typing about the ATP synthase, I just didn’t have the energy to write here.   Also, I felt guilty.  If I had time to write a blog, I obviously should be typing my thesis.  Well, that stage is nearing completion.  I handed out my thesis to my committee today.  That means they have three weeks to review it.  Leaving me one week to make corrections and then defend.  So, my Christmas gift will be the completion of six years of grad school. 

Despite focusing on my thesis, that did not mean my life has slowed down any.  Oh no, that would be too easy.  Where as most people would put down research to write, I just kept on going.  And I started my new position at Invitrogen.  Oh and there is this little run through the parks I plan on doing in January that I have been training for.  But for those of you who know and love me, this is situation normal and the only way I know how to do it. 

The bad news, I am behind in training for long distance.  But I knew that would be the case.  Oh well, I guess I will not make my 5h 30 minute goal.  The good news, I am running the short distances pretty fast for me.  3 miles yesterday in 27 minutes with my planned race tactics of walking for 2 minutes after every eight.  I felt like I could do more.  So the fitness is there, perhaps not the endurance.  So I believe at this moment I am fit enough to finish.  Just not without significant pain and time.  I pray that I will be able to train enough to remove the pain.  I could care less about time.  I’ll run faster at the next one in 2012.  This race wasn’t ever about time.  It was about a celebration of life.  It was my way to celebrate finishing Grad school.  I know sick, “So Paul, you just completed six years of the most grueling school work known to man. What do you plan next?” Oh run 26.2 miles.  But even more than a celebration of my life moving forward, it became more.  Stacey and I decided to raise money for pediatric cancer research.  We did it, we raised over 500.00 for Fred’s team.  They get that money whether I finish or not, so in  terms of that, I have already one the race, now I just have to run it.

The big joke around here is that I will not know what to  do with all of my time once I finish my thesis.  But the fact is I still will be in the lab trying to get what I need for the paper.  So I wont slow down untill that is out.  Plus it is that time of year.  We have the big Thanksgiving Dinner with Wally Duff.  And of course, Pilgrimage set up.  Also on the plate is Thanksgiving here and Christmas with my parents.  So I am sure I will manage to stay busy at least through January.

AJ has moved up to preschool.  That’s right, AJ entered school before I could finish.  I couldn’t make that goal, but I came close.  He is now in the three-year old room at Doodle Bugs.  It’s tough, he isn’t the Big Boy of the room anymore.  He is playing catch up with kids going on four.   But he is adjusting well and thriving.  Same mold as always for AJ.  Watch carefully, mimic, practice, take over and start directing everyone how to do it “right”.  He is  such a leader mentality.  Can’t follow for anything.   And he has to do everything.  He sometimes tries to do two and three things at time.   Never sits still, unless of course, Mickey Mouse is on TV.  I wonder where he gets this idea that you have to do everything rather than just one or two things.

Pray for Stacey, she has a foot injury.  And pray for me, I am getting a cold.

August reveiw

August was a very busy month.  I have been working two jobs for about a month now.  It’s stressful on me and my family and I am looking forward to when I am done writing this thesis and can concentrate on my new career at Life tech.  In the mean time I will quite literally just keep running.  But not nearly as much as I would like. That’s right, taking two positions at the same time has killed my time for running.  With only 27 miles logged this month I feel sluggish and tired.  I can say I only had one great week (13 miles with a 5.25 mile long run).

I have decided that this Disney Marathon is for Fred’s team.  Fred’s team was created between Memorial Sloan-Kettering and Fred Lebow, creator of the NYC marathon.  The focus of Fred’s Team is to raise money for pediatric cancer research.  Stacey has decided to help by dedicating her race to that cause as well.  It was a hard decision because she originally wanted to run for Team in Training.  But the 3800.00 fund raising minimum for TNT was a little steeper than we could commit to this year.  You can visit our site at

https://fredsteam.mskcc.org/fundraising/Controller?action=userHome&user_id=40837&event_id=122

in order to donate if you wish.  We are running in honor of Liam Witt.  He is a wonderful child we only know through his mothers blot at www.princeliamthebrave.com. You will be amazed at this child’s strength and courage.

In other news, AJ is finally starting to enter those last stages of potty training where he will poo on the potty.  Just not real regularly.  We hope these past few days of willingness is the break through he needs.  Taking a page from my Dad, we keep explaining to him that it is easier then hiding to do his business.   He knows what he is suppose to do, and seems to want to, just hasn’t quite gotten there yet.  I keep telling myself that he is only 2 and 3/4s but I was hoping he would be trained before moving to the three year old room.

The pool came down this labor day weekend.  I am hoping to clean and pack it away tomorrow for winter.  I love that little pool, but only got to use it 4 times this summer.  Between time and terrible weather (mostly weather, water never got out of the 60’s most days), I just didn’t get to use it as much as I hoped.  AJ did finally learn to like it though.  He liked hanging off the side and kicking furiously.  Next year we are definitely going to use it more.

One thing that got a lot of use this summer is the slide and swings.  Now, is that suppose to be stored for the winter too?  It is metal, and I never remember anyone in my family taking down that type when we were kids, but the slide is plastic and the swings are plastic.  He could still use it this winter when he plays outside.  I guess I will have to research that, perhaps tarping it would be best, at least boxing in the slide to keep the snow from crushing it.

Race Training

July Running and this last week

It was a lousy week to run. It rained every day which meant I only ran three times for 8 miles.  I did 1 on Monday 2 on Wednesday and 5 today.  I think I needed the rest anyway.  The last four runs were horrible.  But today the 5 miles felt smooth, not fast (took me an hour) but it felt comfortable.  I planned 9 miles for the week anyway so it isn’t that bad.  Just wanted most of the running earlier in the week which did not happen.  I meant to go into this weekend only needing 4 miles rather than five.

For the month I managed 40.8 miles.  I am very excited about this now that the marathon is coming.  I am averaging ten mile weeks.  My training schedule will be posted soon for race.

Lance and Liam

I have never been so impressed by a human being as I am with Lance Armstrong.  Some may say that he is a doper and a cheat, but he has never tested positive and know one is as tested as he is.  Consider this.  He comes back from Cancer to win 7 Tours in a row.  He doesn’t use that time to make just make a ton of money, and trust me he did.  He used all of that fame all of it and devoted it to fighting cancer with the Livestrong foundation.  I don’t wear a yellow bracelet but I know that this foundation is amazing all because of a Cancer survivor and his bike.  Now he decides to get off that bike.  He still fights for cancer but he isn’t in the news as much.  We see him run marathons for his foundation and try to get on as much programs as possible to get the word out.  But it becomes almost cliche, like a fad.  Faced with dwindling interest he makes a choice.  He gets back on that damn bike.  If he is to be believed, and there is no reason not to, he does it for one reason.  To get people back in the game.  To let them know the fight isn’t over. 

He breaks his collar bone in March.  Can’t race, can’t train.  Yet he still gets back in time and despite it all races the Tour to an amazing third place after 3 and a half years off.  I swear if he had not broken the bone he probably would have made a better run for first.  But its about what Cancer.

There is one more person who is so impressive to me.  He is five years old.  He has neuroblastoma.  Its an evil evil evil disease.  They found it when he was the same age that AJ is right now.  This kid fights harder then most adults could ever dream of.  Yet still remains a sweet little boy. His name is Liam and yesterday he had to endure yet another surgery.  He will have more chemo and more antibody treatments and more assaults on his little body.  And even when it is over, it will not be over.  The threat of more cancer will always hang over this young child.  The affects of years of treatments on his development will begin to make themselves known.  But it wont matter because his parents will fight for  him every step of the way.  Go the their blog.  It’s in the blog scroll under Prince Liam the Brave.

Walt Disney World Marathon 2010

There are times in our lives when God is very good to us.  This is one of those times.  All of you may know by now but just in case you didn’t I have a position with Life Technologies (Invitrogen).  This is great great news.  Even better because of the start date, my boss is allowing me to work nights at UB to finish my degree.  Best yet, my new boss at Invitrogen thinks its a great idea for me to take off some time and run the Walt Disney World Marathon.

Tonight we signed up.  We are doing it.  EVEN BETTER our friend Laurie will be with us again to run the full marathon as well.  Perhaps with her fiancee, that’s right she is engaged WOO HOO, as well.  It will be awesome.

I feel like this is a good year for a marathon.  With the completion of my degree I will have a good amount of time for solid training.  Also, I am currently managing 10-13 miles a week on average which is much better than the last time I trained.  I have squared away some of the small issues with my feet.  My running is more consistent and faster than it has been in months.  And I am slowly seeing more and more gains. March 20 miles, April 25 miles, May ~30, June ~35 would have been more, July I am at 40 and may get to 45 if all goes well.

I have a good plan that gives me a couple of 20 mile runs, something I couldn’t accomplish the last two training iterations and gas me top off at 40 mile weeks, again this would be a new high.  I have over 20 weeks.  I did not increase by more than 10% for each week of training in the plan.  I made sure I had rest days and easy run days as well as speed work.

I feel like I did for the first marathon, excited about the training.  Last one I dreaded the training because I was just too busy with AJ and Grad School.  It really is a blessing to run this race, so much had to happen so that we could and it all did.  Lots of people’s prayers have gone into this and I am very very appreciative.  It is so important to me to use this job to honor the blessing God has given us.  So the training will mean a little more for that reason too.  Also, either Stacey or I will be running for Team in Training.  Not sure which one of us yet.  So we will be raising money for Leukemia research.  If we are going to run all that way, we might as well do it and raise some money too.  It will probably be Stacey.  If it isn’t me, then I will probably try to raise money for Fred’s team that supports cancer research at Slone-Kittering cancer center in NYC.

Week in review

My legs feel beat lately.  Although I had some decent runs lately, I mostly feel lathargic.  I know this is because of the increased hours in the lab.  I will be keeping all of my runs at 2 miles with  hopefully more runs in the coming weeks do to working two jobs rather than my normal one job.  That’s right, today is the first day at Invitrogen and the first day of working nights in the lab at UB so that I can finish up.

Last week:

Tuesday: 1.7 miles of intervals

Wednesday: .6 miles cut short by the need to find a bathroom

Thursday 4 miles in 38:30 with a half mile cool down best day running

Saturday: 1.75 walk with Heather

Sunday: 3.5 miles very slow

twelve miles total with 10 of them running.  Sunday the legs were shot, this morning I was dragging too.  Well, I better get ready for work.

Last minute Potter – spoilers

Last night Lidia got home early so Stacey and I took off to see HP6.  It wasn’t a very good Potter.   Stop reading now if you don’t want details.

Things I liked about the movie:

1. Good one liners. “So have you and Ginny done it yet…”, “Why is it that when ever there is trouble you three are always there?  Ron: I have been trying to figure that out for the last six years.” “But I am the chosen one…ow…kidding, just kidding.”

2. The few memories shown were good.

3. Entertained despite being totally inaccurate.

Things I disliked (much longer list):

1. The burrow was not attacked and burned down.

2. Harry did not try to get into the Slug club, nor did A.D. suggest he should.

3. No mention of Neville and the prophecy.

4. No Neville really at all, same with Luna.

5. No fight at that end with the DA taking Felix to fight off death eaters.

6. Death scene of AD totally redone and bad.

7. Not enough magic at MAGIC school.

8. To much goofy love stuff.

9. Year 6 tells the tale of Tom Riddle becoming Voldemort and sets up the crusade to find the Horcruxes, this was largely ignored and incomplete. No Marvolo, no mother… we are meant to understand how he came to evil but never learn any of it.

10. Ginny and Harry relationship completely undeveloped AND she never took him to the RoR to dispose of the book like it was some sort of addiction.

11. We never saw them actually in class except a little potions.

It was written as though the screen writer didn’t know what was really important to learn in year six and it was done that suggested that everyone was tired of doing these movies and would actually rather not.  The next movies will have to be done with Harry not knowing anything about the Hufflepuff cup, the possibility that TR hid something in Hogwarts, or the snake being a horcrux.  Way to many fundamental changes in the story line and omissions that are important for a quality seventh year, which is assumed to be the goal since they are splitting it into two movies.  I feel as though the seventh book came out which finishes the story and now the movie guys are mailing it in so that they can get to the last two movies.  I hope that means that they are planning on doing a good job.  If the fifth and sixth movie are any indication I doubt it.